Twitter Reacts to Stunning Video of Cops Escalating Traffic Stop of Black Army Officer: ‘This is F*cking Outrageous’
Prominent Twitter users reacted with varying levels of horror and disgust to video of Virginia police officers escalating a traffic stop of Lt. Caron Nazario, a Black Army officer who is suing the cops.
In the harrowing video, Windsor cops approach Lt. Nazario with guns drawn, shouting at him to get out of the car as the lieutenant tells them he’s afraid to move.
“Yeah, you should be,” one of the cops tells him. The stop escalated to Nazario being repeatedly pepper-sprayed without apparent provocation, and in a particularly intense stretch, being visibly reluctant to reach down and unbuckle his seat belt.
Lt. Nazario is suing the cops for the December stop, body cam footage of which has been circulating on Twitter to considerable outrage from political and media figures, activists, journalists, and other verified users.
Army Lt. Nazario was driving his new car home. He was pulled over, pepper sprayed, and arrested without explanation.
This is racism. It’s about the domination and humiliation of a Black man because he asked questions and “didn’t comply.” pic.twitter.com/RFE79TjWJ8
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) April 10, 2021
CW: This is fucking outrageous. https://t.co/bPdlSCMUt3
— Fred (@WaywardWinifred) April 10, 2021
The full video, for those who need to see the "before," is in the thread. I just… https://t.co/46hfyHkiQw
— Sachelle Saunders (@SachelleOnAir) April 10, 2021
Army LT Caron Nazario was pepper sprayed, beaten, and handcuffed while in uniform… and then let go because the cops had no reason to do a god damn thing in the first place.
This is yet another example of why we demand that #BlackLivesMatter pic.twitter.com/zJrMW5JhiB
— Naveed ?? (@ArmyofNaveed) April 10, 2021
These officers, once they realized they had erred, allegedly said the Lt could leave w/o charges if he would “chill and let this go,” according to the lawsuit—or, he could be charged, have to go to court, and face the consequences in his military career.https://t.co/Uc3XLxsAS0
— Joy-Ann Pro-Democracy & Masks Reid ? (@JoyAnnReid) April 10, 2021
Black Army officer held at gunpoint in his car: “I’m honestly afraid to get out.”
Cop: “Yeah, you should be.”
Cops then pepper sprayed, beat, & handcuffed Army LT Caron Nazario was while in uniform… then let him go?
Horrific police violencepic.twitter.com/XMcGHXVKc8
— Qasim Rashid, Esq. قاسم رشید (@QasimRashid) April 10, 2021
Where's the All Lives and Blue Lives Jokers at on this one?
Not resisting, not arguing, not fighting… Just being Black. https://t.co/Eifo4V6Uxy
— Bill Shannon (@RealBShannon3) April 10, 2021
The cops threatened Nazario, an Army officer, pepper-sprayed him in the face, and gave him knee-strikes to his legs. Nazario was in tears and on the ground of a gas station parking lot as officers put him in handcuffs. This video below is just insanity. https://t.co/7fJAw1KjAr https://t.co/hjHaTH14Gx
— James LaPorta (@JimLaPorta) April 9, 2021
Army officer LT. Caron Nazario who’s Afro-Latino was pulled over in his car.
When told to get out of the car he said, “I’m honestly afraid to get out.”
Officer said,
“Yeah, you should be!”This is how U treat soldiers of color who defend this country?
— KID VICIOUS? (@kirkacevedo) April 10, 2021
F*ck the racism in this country.
Trying to injure, intimidate & humiliate a man of color just because they can and they want to.
When Lt. Caron #Nazario said he was afraid to exit his vehicle, one cop replied, “Yeah, you should be."
TW: RACIST POLICINGpic.twitter.com/QdTW7KlEAP
— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) April 10, 2021
Army Second Lieutenant Caron Nazario: I'm afraid to get out of the car.
Virginia Police: Yeah you should be.So much that angers my soul here. But note the repeated attempts to provoke & escalate this situation. Tell me these people are fit to carry a gun in a civilized society. pic.twitter.com/YL78aV9pTS
— Reese Waters (@reesewaters) April 10, 2021
“At one point, he even admitted to being afraid to leave the vehicle. ‘Yeah, you should be,’ one of the officers responded.” Black Army Corps 2nd Lieutenant pulled over at gunpoint in Virginia https://t.co/7BCAGhasP1
— Nick Schifrin (@nickschifrin) April 10, 2021
Even cops know they can’t be trusted.
“When Lt. Caron Nazario said he was afraid to get out of the vehicle, one officer responded, ‘Yeah, you should be.’” https://t.co/zvvQXxXG92
— Advancement Project National Office (@adv_project) April 10, 2021
— Tom Watson (@tomwatson) April 9, 2021
This is a travesty, but unfortunately still very expectedhttps://t.co/USo6jkTuXw
— theGrio.com (@theGrio) April 10, 2021
Cops Caught on Video Holding a Black Army Lieutenant at Gunpoint, Then Pepper-Spraying Him
When Lt. Caron Nazario said he was afraid to get out of the vehicle, one officer responded, “Yeah, you should be." https://t.co/nzusqHRZZu
— Jon Cooper ?? (@joncoopertweets) April 10, 2021
There were also this guy.
It sounds like if he complied he would have been fine. Many people want to test the limits or believe because they have a uniform, or black skin, that somehow complying does not apply to them. They create dangerous situations. https://t.co/yPYTIauU2P
— Carmine Sabia (@CarmineSabia) April 10, 2021
Police say they pulled Nazario over because he had no rear license plate, but the vehicle’s temporary tag is visible in the police video.
Watch the full police video above via The Virginian-Pilot.
